The **illegal deforestation** in **Argentina** does not stop. In the first six months of 2025, **Greenpeace** identified that more than **31,000 hectares** of **[native forest](https://noticiasambientales.com/medio-ambiente/mexico-en-el-top-mundial-de-perdida-de-bosques-incendios-y-deforestacion-intensifican-el-dano-ecologico-en-2024/)** were destroyed in **Santiago del Estero and Chaco**, equivalent to one and a half times the size of Buenos Aires.
The **environmental organization** denounced that, despite the international commitments made by the country, the **destruction of forests** remains a common practice, often covered up by the provincial governments.
Satellite monitoring showed that **Santiago del Estero** was the most affected province, with more than **22,000 hectares deforested**, followed by **Chaco**, where the figure exceeded **8,600 hectares**, even under a judicial measure that prohibited **clear-cutting**.
Current fines are not effective as a deterrent. Meanwhile, the **environmental damage** intensifies, with consequences that extend far beyond the lost land.
## Clear-cutting and State Complicity
According to Greenpeace, in Santiago del Estero, **clear-cutting in protected areas** by the **National Forest Law** continues to be authorized. In Chaco, despite a judicial ruling that suspended permits, oversight is weak or non-existent.
This action not only jeopardizes **local biodiversity** but also violates Argentina’s commitments, such as the goal of zero deforestation by 2030 agreed upon at the Glasgow Summit.
Furthermore, deforestation does not always respond to social needs but often benefits private interests related to the expansion of the **agricultural frontier** or **land speculation**.
The lack of criminal sanctions reinforces impunity: those responsible consider fines as just another expense in the business. Without a stricter legal framework, deforestation will continue to erode the country’s most fragile **ecosystems**.
## Environmental Consequences of Deforestation
Clear-cutting has a deep and, in many cases, irreversible environmental impact. The loss of **forest cover** exposes soils to erosion processes, favoring **desertification** and reducing water retention capacity.
The disappearance of forests also implies the **loss of essential habitats** for numerous **animal and plant species**. Some of them, already endangered, could become extinct by not being able to adapt to the new environmental reality.
Additionally, forests act as **climate regulators**, absorbing carbon and stabilizing temperatures. Their destruction directly contributes to **climate change**, exacerbating phenomena such as prolonged droughts and intense floods.
The resources of indigenous and peasant communities, which depend on the forest for food, natural medicines, and wood, are also affected. **Forced deforestation** often implies their displacement or marginalization.
## A Campaign That Saves Lives
The “Vote for the Forests” campaign, promoted by Greenpeace, proposes that both **illegal clear-cutting** and **intentional forest fires** be classified as criminal offenses. More than 267,000 people have already joined the initiative.
The protection of native forests is not only an **environmental responsibility** but also an urgent measure for public health, social justice, and life defense. Preserving it is defending a balance that benefits all inhabitants of the country.
Without effective sanctions or real controls, deforestation will continue to advance over the last **green lungs** of northern Argentina. The urgency to act is now, before it is too late.
